Are you about to go big time and finally start that side hustle? Maybe you’re going to be a part-time dog groomer, a wedding DJ, or sell those awesome socks you knit. Whatever it is, go for it!
The best time to start a side hustle is yesterday. Today works, too.
Just make sure you start with a brand. Here are some tips on choosing side hustle business names.
Branding Your Side Hustle
Your side hustle may just be a light hobby right now, but it’s a wise idea to think of it as a solid brand from the start.
You don’t need to invest a billion dollars in a logo, a website, and a whole brand identity. But, you should try to have a cohesive brand strategy in whatever you do create.
Here are a few little things that go a long way:
- You should have a logo, but start simple. You can always upgrade it.
- You should pick a name that you intend to stick with. Names can be changed, but it becomes more complex as time goes by.
- You should have a brand personality. Are you fun? Serious? Modern? Just decide, or you’ll look unprofessional.
Don’t let the challenge of branding your side hustle scare you away from getting started, but try to make those few decisions before you get too deep into it.
Tips for Side Hustle Business Name Ideas
A lot of people either want to use the first name they think up, or they try to find a side hustle name generator. Neither of those strategies are the way to go. (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news).
Coming up with a name can be time-consuming, and even a bit frustrating, but it’s worth it in the end.
Here are a bunch of tips for side hustle business name ideas that should help you out. Once you go through this list, you’ll have a lot of criteria to decide what’s working and what’s not.
Make It Easy To Say and Spell
The first thing you should think about when choosing side hustle business names is to make sure people can say and spell whatever you decide on!
Too many people think of a common name, and then go with a funky spelling so that it’s not already being used. This isn’t a bad strategy if you want to put a ton of money into a marketing budget for brand recognition, but you should probably stop calling it a “side hustle” if you want to do that. So remember, if you use a weird spelling, you will have to spell it to people every single time. (And they probably still won’t remember).
Don’t (Necessarily) Use Your Own Name
Another easy way out is to use your own name. This is great in certain business areas (such as a law practice), but not necessarily for a side hustle. This will often result in people finding this when they search for you, and that might not be what you want.
If your full-time job is an accountant, you don’t want potential clients first finding the website of your specialty shoelace side hustle.
Make It Descriptive
“Cassie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies” tells your customers what you do in a way that “Sweet Cx4” doesn’t quite. It’s tempting to go for shorter versions or nicknames, but those often get lost in translation and are far less memorable. If you really hit it big and everyone refers to you by a nickname, then go for it at that point.
Make Sure No One Else Has It
This seems obvious, but it gets a little tricky. Do a search to see if anyone else is using the name. If it’s pretty common, you might find that people are “using” it, but it has a social media page that hasn’t been updated in a decade. As long as you don’t think anyone will confuse that with you, then you’re probably good.
Also, check and see if anyone is using the trademark of that name (here’s a good place to start). That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s impossible to use, but it will add some complications.
Use A Domain Name That’s Available
Getting the web address of your name is a totally different story. Many URLs cost about $20 a year if they’re available, but sometimes people try to sell “good” ones for thousands of dollars.
Unless you plan on making tons of money, it’s not really worth springing for a super premium one. You can always add something to the name, such as:
- www.WeAre[Company Name].com
- www.ThisIs[Company Name].com
- www.ThePlaceFor[Company Name].com
Here’s a good spot to check for domain names.
Don’t Limit Yourself in the Long Term
We already talked about how you should be descriptive, but you want to be careful to not back yourself into a corner. Say you’re starting a coffee company, so you name it “Carl’s Craft Coffee.” That’s a perfect name, up until the point you also want to sell tea and milkshakes.
It’s not that you can’t evolve from an overly descriptive name, but it’s easier if you don’t have to.
Make Sure You Like It
This is often left off when people talk about naming a business.
If it’s your business, you should be excited about it. It might tick all of the other boxes, but it’s never going to sound right if you’re not getting pumped up every time you tell someone what it is called.
Side Hustle Ideas
There you have it. That’s scratching the surface of choosing side hustle business names.
Did you just come up with an awesome name, but you’re not sure what kind of side hustle you should actually start? Or, do you know what you want to do, but you need help getting it off the ground or building steam?
At Curious Rex, we love talking about side hustle ideas, and we live for helping make dreams come true. Get in touch, and we’ll brainstorm and advise all day long with you.
